Aquatint engraving with original hand color. Ca. 1827. Sheet size: 15 x 18 1/4". Inventory#: p506pmat. "Questa Scena fu esequita pel Ballo Pantomimo serio Il Naufragio de La Peyrouse, posto sulle scene dell'I. R. Teatro alla Canobbiana, dal Sig. William Barrymore. L.Autune dell'anno 1825." As opera reached a height of popularity and innovation in early 19th-century Italy, stage sets and scenery were increasingly viewed as art forms unto themselves. Enterprising artists and designers competed to create the most lavish, evocative, and visually engaging opera settings, and were so successful that their stage sets often competed with the performances themselves for an audience's attention and appreciation. Public criticism of various operas often revolved as much around the quality of the set designs as the beauty of the music, and audiences became increasingly discerning about the visual aspects of grand performances. Reflecting this tendency, Alessandro Sanquirico, a Milanese artist, was inspired to document the most striking sets at Italy's most celebrated opera house, La Scala in Milan. Sanquirico's vividly colored, masterfully drafted aquatint engravings capture the sumptuousness and sheer spectacle of these extravagant sets, often including costumed singers in the midst of a concert, and at the same time the artist brings the excitement of the performance to life in these remarkably vibrant illustrations. 0. Bookseller Inventory # 000506

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Store Description: Arader Galleries has specialized in the field of color plate books and early works
on paper for over thirty years. The size and quality of our inventory is second to
no other dealer. We are committed to building the finest art and book collections
for our clients. We welcome the opportunity to work with you. Lori Cohen, Gallery
Director, has worked in the international fine art market for 22 years. She
advises museums and libraries on acquisitions as well as distinguished private and
corporate collections throughout the United States and Europe.